had always submitted, and had conformed to
every theological system which had been established. His known
probity had made this compliance be ascribed, not to an interested or
time-serving spirit, but to a sense of duty, which led him to think
that all private opinion ought to be sacrificed to the great concern of
public peace and tranquillity. The general regard paid to his character
had protected him from any severe treatment during the administration
of Somerset; but when Northumberland gained the ascendant, he was thrown
into prison; and as that rapacious nobleman had formed a design of
seizing the revenues of the see of Durham, and of acquiring to himself
a principality in the northern counties, he was resolved, in order
to effect his purpose, to deprive Tonstal of his bishopric. A bill
of attainder, therefore, on pretence of misprision of treason, was
introduced into the house of peers against the prelate; and it passed
with the opposition only of Lord Stourton, a zealous Catholic, and of
Cranmer, who always bore a cordial and sincere friendship to the bishop
of Durham. But when the bill was sent down to the commons, they required
that witnesses should be examined, that Tonstal should be allowed to
defend himself, and that he should be confronted with his accusers; and
when these demands were refused, they rejected the bill.

This equity, so unusual in the parliament during that age, was ascribed,
by Northumberland and his partisans, not to any regard for liberty
and justice, but to the prevalence of Somerset's faction in a house of
commons which, being chosen during the administration of that nobleman,
had been almost entirely filled with his creatures. They were confirmed
in this opinion, when they found that a bill, ratifying the attainder of
Somerset and his accomplices, was also rejected by the commons, though
it had passed the upper house. A resolution was therefore taken to
dissolve the parliament, which had sitten during this whole reign; and
soon after to summon a new one.

Northumberland, in order to insure to himself a house of commons
entirely obsequious to his will, ventured on an expedient which could
not have been practised, or even imagined, in an age when there was any
idea or comprehension of liberty. He engaged the king to write circular
letters to all the sheriffs, in which he enjoined them to inform the
freeholders, that they were required to choose men of knowledge and
experience for their